Situation with social payments to be settled this year, Azarov says

All delays on social payments in Ukraine will be eliminated by the end of the year, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday.

"The situation with social payments will be resolved, and by the end of the year we will achieve a regular rhythm of payments on all of our social commitments," he said, Interfax reported.

Azarov said that there was a delay in social payments this autumn, first and foremost, due to the fact that in this period Ukraine made payments on its international obligations.

"What caused the delays in September and October? First and foremost, it was related to enormous payments on our obligations... Payments on our commitments are the article under which we cannot afford any delays. That's our reputation," he said.

Azarov said that there should be the same attitude in the state to payments in the social sphere, in which there should also be no delays.